Cluster of COVID cases linked to FRC – seven students positive thus far
On Monday it was announced that Plumas County case No. 41 was a Feather River College student, and it was also learned that four other students had tested positive, but weren’t counted in the Plumas County case count.
That has changed. Plumas County Public Health announced this evening that seven students in total have tested positive, and three of them will be included Plumas County’s total count, bringing the total to 45 (up from the 43 announced just two hours ago).
During the contact tracing investigation it was determined that five of the seven positive individuals were connected to a common residence. The other two individuals were unrelated to each other or the common residence. All of the students have gone home to their permanent residence outside the county to self-isolate.
Several other students were identified to have a connection to the common residence and were tested with negative results; however, in an abundance of caution the students were asked to return home to self-quarantine and monitor their symptoms.
In trying to determine which county reports the positive cases in these type of circumstances, the California Department of Public Health directed Public Health with the following, “Our guidance is that a case should be counted in the county they were diagnosed. If after your case investigation you feel they were most likely infected in Plumas, than you should count them there. If there is a question, then we suggest you reach out to the other jurisdiction and see where the most likely location of infection was. If after all of that, both jurisdictions are still unclear then we would recommend the county of permanent residence since they were only at school for a short amount of time.”
After the contact tracing investigation it has been determined that three of the seven cases were likely infected in Plumas County due to the common residence. The other two positive students related to the common residence were most likely related to travel. The cases which appear to have been contracted in Plumas County are No. 41, and now numbers No. 44 and No. 45, which came back positive today.
Feather River College had been preparing all summer to ensure a safe return of a limited number of students amidst COVID-19 for laboratory classes that cannot be taught online. One of the protocols implemented by the college was a testing regiment of all students. FRC collaborated with Public Health and Plumas District Hospital and tested over 300 students.
The objective of the college’s testing protocol was for quick detection of positive cases and intervention to contain disease. Public Health and Feather River College will continue the close collaboration to identify any further mitigation needed at this time to protect students and the community.
Anyone with questions should contact the Plumas County COVID-19 informational phone line 530- 283-6400 or send an e-mail to COVID1[email protected] or visit our website at www.plumascounty.us
